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My two-year-old, over-the-range GE microwave oven (model JVM1850SM3SS) recently started humming constantly. I removed a very small food item as usual: opened door, light came on, humming stopped, closed door; then the humming started again. After several seconds, I unplugged the unit.
Ten minutes later, I plugged in the unit. The control panel displayed garbage, but would allow me to set the clock. During the time I was doing that, the humming continued. When I opened the door, the humming stopped, but the glass turntable was quite warm. I closed the door, the humming restarted. I unplugged it from the wall.
After several days, I tried again, and the unit seemed to be working normally. A few minutes later, however the humming stopped, even when the turntable was going and the timer counting down. I assume the humming means the magnetron is on; no humming means it is off.
I discovered that if I started up a normal usage cycle (with no humming), and then I thumped the lower right corner of the unit a few times, the humming would start and the cook cycle would complete normally. After a few days, it went back to the always humming, always heating behavior. I was able to continue using the unit by unplugging and replugging when I needed it, but it only allowed full power and would not stop heating when the timer expired.
After a few weeks of this behavior, it started working normally again: the timer could control the heating on/off and all the various power levels worked. After another day, it went back to the no heating behavior, unless I thumped it a few times (few meaning anywhere from about 5 to about 25 times).
This behavior suggest to me that there is a mechanical switch or relay or solenoid in the unit that is gummed up in some way. Sometimes it sticks in the off position; sometimes in the on position. The thumping seems to jar it loose.
What are the likely causes of the problem? The fixes? (I'm reasonably handy as a DIYer, and I know how to take the unit off the wall and then rehang it.)
Ten minutes later, I plugged in the unit. The control panel displayed garbage, but would allow me to set the clock. During the time I was doing that, the humming continued. When I opened the door, the humming stopped, but the glass turntable was quite warm. I closed the door, the humming restarted. I unplugged it from the wall.
After several days, I tried again, and the unit seemed to be working normally. A few minutes later, however the humming stopped, even when the turntable was going and the timer counting down. I assume the humming means the magnetron is on; no humming means it is off.
I discovered that if I started up a normal usage cycle (with no humming), and then I thumped the lower right corner of the unit a few times, the humming would start and the cook cycle would complete normally. After a few days, it went back to the always humming, always heating behavior. I was able to continue using the unit by unplugging and replugging when I needed it, but it only allowed full power and would not stop heating when the timer expired.
After a few weeks of this behavior, it started working normally again: the timer could control the heating on/off and all the various power levels worked. After another day, it went back to the no heating behavior, unless I thumped it a few times (few meaning anywhere from about 5 to about 25 times).
This behavior suggest to me that there is a mechanical switch or relay or solenoid in the unit that is gummed up in some way. Sometimes it sticks in the off position; sometimes in the on position. The thumping seems to jar it loose.
What are the likely causes of the problem? The fixes? (I'm reasonably handy as a DIYer, and I know how to take the unit off the wall and then rehang it.)
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